DIGGERS IN INDIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19809, 28 November 1919, Page 7

DIGGERS IN INDIA.

PUNITIVE EXPEDITIONS. ' ] PUNISHING TRIBESMEN. Of all the adventures and dangers connected with warfare there is prob- ' ably none which appeals to the imagination to such an extent as the exploits of soldiers in India, (says the, Melbourne I ‘‘ Herald ”). Lieutenant E. M. Bland. M.C., who has returned to Melbourne after having seen active service on Gallipoli, in Franco and India,, brings with him somo absorbing stories of eighteen months’ campaigning ill India, where he was attached first, to the 2nd of the Hiflth Baluchis regiment., ami inter to the UOth I’mijahis. .stationed at Kampti in the. Central Province. The regiments quartered around this locality givo a good deal of attention to punishing the border tribes known as I‘a limns and Waziris, who arc conInitially sweeping down upon neighbouring villages and carrying off all the plunder they can lay their hands upon. They live in the rough hilly country, with every melt of which they are thoroughly acquainted, which makes the task of the soldiers arduous and difficult. They do not cultivate any land, and. being naturally of a ..warlike disposition, delight in attacking the peaceable natives. TB EA CM lEROU S TRIBESM E.\. The tribesmen, lie says, are fine, examples of physical litness, tall, bronzed, and of good appearance, interesting to converse with, bat extremely treacherous. In the raids on the villages they come, in numbers from four to sixty. So far as the individual is concerned, ho goes about the Punjab quite openly, being indistinguishable from the other natives. He takes advantage of the position by stealing anything. He is a born thief os well as a lighter. The leader or general is known as Niada Khan. When villages are raided and looted the, only means of reprisal is L. follow’ the hands into their retreats in the'hills and burn their abodes. Describing the method employed on these punitive'expeditions. Lieutenant Bland states that the time, occupied is generally about live days according to the work to bo done. 'Phe regiment makes its way to the furthest village of the, tribe and at about two o’clock in the afternoon begins to dig in for the night. This takes the form of a circular perimeter, protected on all sides, with the camps in the centre. An attack is never made, at night owing to the natmue of the country. At. daybreak the first of the villages is destroyed, and the troops make their way hack each day, burning other villages and camping at night. Care is taken to have the protection prepared before dark, as it is impossible to compete with tho tribesmen if left, in tlm open. On one of these expeditions which Lieutenant Bland accompanied lilty villages were razed in five, days with very few casualties. These wore •"caused by snipers in the hills. If tho village he surprised, the tribesmen, along with their families, heat ■. hasty retreat, the men firing over their shoulders in any direction. Usually the regiment took with it a n'amber of camels with the object of bringing to headquarters any grain or fodder which would ho of use. MUH,DEPOTS BRIDEGROOM. “These fellows.” went on the lieutenant., “ are exceptionally rough. While at one village talking to some of the natives, i noticed the head man being earied out of a lint on a stretcher. On inquiry .1, found that he had been, hit on the head with a brick and had died. ft appears that tho trouble arose from a marriage which was to have taken place in the village. The head man would not make any arrangements for tho feast party, so the prospective bridegroom hit him on the head-wi{.h a. largo brick and killed him. The. natives were quite casual regarding the occurrence, stating that similar episodes happen on numerous occasions.

“To got back to the fighting instinct of tlie natives, 1 might mention that on ono occasion a hand of tribesmen, ivbo move about like snakes, entered one of our perimeters during the night and succeeded in driving away some stock. ’lhoy lire so expert at tfie game that they are very seldom caught on these excursions.

‘‘On one of the. punitive expeditions, a regimental cavalryman came upon a native sniper lying in a nullah or small gnlly. The cavalryman charged at the .snipor, and alien his spear was within a tow inches of the lace of Die enemy, the horse suddenly slopped, and refused to move. The sniper immediately ran away, whereupon our man dismounted, brought Ins rifle to the shoulder and was on Die point of filing alien the native samitg round and shot him through the hip, knocking him \out. The country is very rough indeed. an;] mmauy places the cavalry have greatdifficulty in operating. These trihesnen are always on the warpath. Beloro 1 arrived at Tliall, on the northwest frontier, Die fort had been suri minded hy the natives tinder Mad a Khan in July of this year. ‘ The only means of com mum cation with, the fort was by aeroplane, and I believe bv this moans provisions were transported to the garrison within. After five days the fort was relieved, and the natives driven into the hills."

TRAPPED ‘WITH CIGARETTES. Lieutenant Eland was transferred from the llaluclus regiment, which operated against the Afghans, just before the rising, lint he was present at Pawal Piudi. in tin- Punjab, when the conference with the. Afghans look place. When the. delegates arrived they were accompanied hy a large number of followers, who insisted upon entering the conference chamber with their representatives, This, of course, tv as strickly proiiibitcd, and the only means of getting them out was to ‘offer them clga-roties. They-always fell into the trap, for when they came out the door was closed behind them. The uniforms worn by the Afghanistan representatives were exceptionally picturesque, hut at the ,Suite time humorous. The men were decked out with large brass helmets with plumes. Largo swords were strapped to their waists, and always seemed to get in their way when walking. “When they arrived. ” says Lieutenant Bland, “one would have thought that they had falcon possession of the country. After the completion of the confeivnee 1 boro was considerable delay in the departure of the delegates owing to the fact that the followers had purchased an enormous quantity of goods from the bazaar to taka, back to Afghanistan to sell.

DISCI!KTTON NKCKSSARV. “In dealing with the Indian troops an officer Ims to he very discreet, because. of (lie. different customs, religion and castes of those in the regiment. for instance the regiment with which I was connected consisted of Sikhs. Punjabis, Mussulmans and Hindustani (Rajputs and Brahmins), all of whom have different methods as regards meals and ways of living. I))..creotness 13 essential in the framing of all officers who arrive in India. Sonic of their dross and general appearance on parades. They prove themselves to bo very excellent soldiers. In inv regiment an Indian officer, who hail had forty-two years’ service in the Indian army, was promoted, honorary captain just prior to my departurn.